Chambliss: No budget, no pay

ATLANTA — A senator from Georgia is co-sponsoring legislation that would prohibit members of Congress from drawing pay if the Congressional budget and appropriations process isn’t wrapped up by the start of the fiscal year on Oct.1.

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., has joined on as a co-sponsor of the so-called “No Budget, No Pay Act,” which Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., introduced. U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., introduced a companion piece in the U.S. House.

“It is unacceptable that it has been more than 1,000 days since Congress passed a budget. We can’t expect Americans to set household budgets if we are not doing the same for the federal government. It is no wonder that our national deficit is over $15 trillion.” Chambliss said in a news release. “It is also unacceptable that members of Congress continue to receive paychecks for a job they aren’t doing. This bill is a step in the right direction towards holding Congress accountable and balancing the federal budget.”

Under the proposal, Congressional staff would also be prohibited from receiving pay if the budget process isn’t complete. Missed pay would not be reinstated, according to Chambliss.